


Mara Jade Lives, Everybody Is Still Sad

by TS13



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 12:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7269010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TS13/pseuds/TS13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rather than murdering Mara Jade Skywalker and ascending to the title of Darth Caedus, Jacen Solo dies at the hands of Mara on Kavan. </p><p>(Part of the Mara Jade fanfic exchange)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jacen's Death

**Kavan**

 

Jacen’s grasp of the Force was slowly failing.

Mara didn’t just feel it; she could see it.

Every time she brought her blade down for what she thought would be the killing blow, Jacen would desperately deflect it to some less vital part of his body with the Force.

 “You think…you’ve won…but I refuse…to let you…destroy the future for my Ben.” She said through gritted teeth, fighting back the pain that was coursing through her body. His face was twisted with anger and hatred as she finally cornered him.

Mara raised her blade to end the life of the monster her nephew had become. _Worse than Palpatine._ She thought. _Much worse._

She felt the energy leave Jacen as he prepared for one last attack with all of his remaining strength.

But the attack never came. Instead, her vibroblade was no longer coming down on the twisted, inhuman face of Jacen, but the fearful face of her son. Her eyes met Ben’s as her blade moved closer to its mark, his eyes begging her to stop.

Instead of shock, Mara felt anger. Even in his last moments, Jacen was manipulating her son – he was manipulating _her._

Ignoring the face of her son despite an overwhelming desire to stop, she shoved the vibroblade into his skull.

The image of Ben’s face rapidly disappeared to be replaced with the lifeless eyes of her nephew.

Jacen Solo was dead.

*****************************************************************************************************************

**MANDALORE**

 

Jaina Solo screamed.

At least, she thought she did, because when she opened her eyes, everyone who had been in the battle circle with her had been thrown dozens of yards away through the Force.

The Mandalorians who had been training and teaching her to fight were standing up one by one and walking towards her in confusion.

But she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything.

Jacen was dead. She felt it in the Force. It was like she had been torn in two. Like a piece of her had been ripped in half and then burned.

Her brother was gone, just like Anakin. They were both gone.

And she was alone.

She looked up and saw her own reflection in a familiar Mandalorian helmet.

“It’s Jacen...he’s dead.” She stammered.

There was no impression in the Force from the bounty hunter, but she knew Boba Fett was smiling.

*****************************************************************************************************************

**HAPAN**

 

Taryn Zel woke up and was instantly annoyed. Her bed was empty and it had _NOT_ been that way when she fell asleep.

Who did this Jedi think he was that he could leave _her_ in the middle of the night and get away with it?

She stood up and groggily picked up the blaster she kept under her bed. Maybe she’d shoot him – just a little – to teach him his place.

The door to her room was still open and she made her way into the hallway. Wherever he was going, he did a poor job of hiding it. The impressions his feet made on the floor were still there, and she easily tracked him to the end of the hallway where the door to the Queen Mother’s quarters was left slightly ajar.

Taryn let out an annoyed groan.

Sure, she was the Queen Mother, and she got whatever she wanted – but _stang_ she actually liked this one.

Taryn stepped into the room, expecting to see an embarrassed and half-dressed Zekk apologizing for his mistake, but instead was met with a bizarre scene that caused her to immediately whip out her blaster and her grogginess instantly dissipate.

Her cousin, Chume’da, Queen Mother of Hapes, Tenel Ka lay on the floor, still in her gold embroidered nightgown laced with Corusca gems, clearly unconscious, while Zekk cradled a bawling little girl in his arms.

Allana looked awkward in Zekk’s absurdly muscular arms, buried in his chest and sobbing uncontrollably. Such a small thing, whoever made her upset would pay.

Zekk’s eyes met hers, and she noticed that they were red as if he had been crying, too.

“Jacen Solo is dead.”

*****************************************************************************************************************

 


	2. Six Months Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara Jade has disappeared after killing Jacen Solo, but an old friend convinces her to return....

**RISHI**

 

A crowded marketplace with an outdoor café on a planet like Rishi was the perfect place to hide in plain sight. Criminals had been doing it since the beginning of time, and Rishi was basically a paradise for anything criminal in the galaxy. 

Today, however, he was not looking for just any criminal. He was looking for arguably the greatest assassin in the history of the galaxy – and his friend.

Mara Jade Skywalker had disappeared more times than anyone could count. Whether it was as the Emperor’s Hand, Talon Karrde’s business partner, or a Jedi – there were few people in the galaxy who were better at fading into nonexistence.

But there were few people in the galaxy better than him at finding people.

Corran Horn smiled to himself. _What if she kills me, who will tell Mirax... oh...SHE_ _would probably tell Mirax…_

Suddenly, a passing Ubese took off its breath mask – the breath mask it needed to _breathe_ – and sat down at his table.

Mara Jade Skywalker grinned back at him. “I knew they would send someone after me sooner or later.”

“How the _Hell_ did you do that?” He said in utter disbelief. There was no way that person at the café was anyone other than Mara. Even the height was perfect!

She rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. “You CorSec boys were always too confident in your tracking skills. I gave some kid 10 credits and my cloak and told them to have a drink on me. “ She pointed towards the breath mask. “Bought this outfit weeks ago to use in an emergency. Leia gave me the idea once.”

She sat forward and her mood suddenly changed. “Speaking of Leia….how’s Luke?”

“He’s Luke.” Corran took a bite of the strange muffin the waiter brought him – which he definitely did NOT remember ordering. Thank the Celestials that he had never had to try and catch her when he was with CorSec…. “He blamed himself for Jacen’s fall to the dark side and now he blames himself for you disappearing. I’m surprised he hasn’t taken off to some remote end of the galaxy by now.”

She smiled wearily at the thought of her husband on some island in the middle of nowhere alone with his thoughts. “He’s very dramatic.”

“Ben’s fine too.” Corran continued. “He’s training with the Jedi again, but more impressively he was right about Tahiri not being committed to the dark side. Jacen was manipulating her through visions of Anakin – it’s really twisted and dark. You did the galaxy a massive favor by stopping him before he could do anything _really_ crazy.”

Her face suddenly went to stone, clearly at his mention of Jacen Solo’s death, and Corran nearly groaned aloud. This was the moment he was dreading.

“You’ve done some terrible things in your life. Terrible things that you’ve put behind you and moved on. What makes this any different?”

“If someone had killed my son….” She trailed off avoiding eye contact and snatching a piece of the yellow muffin.

Corran finally put two and two together. “Leia…..You’re afraid of facing Leia.”

She nodded slowly. “If someone had killed my son, I would never forgive them. I would hunt them to the ends of the galaxy and watch them die, slowly and painfully.”

“Why did you kill for the Emperor?” He interrupted loudly.

“…what?” Mara growled in confusion, clearly surprised by his mention of the Emperor and annoyed that he spoke the question out loud.

“Why did you kill for the Emperor and why were you okay with it?” He repeated, clearly serious.

She took a few seconds to answer. “Because I thought it was right. That it was what needed to be done.”

Corran nodded. “That’s what people like us – who have done the things that we have – must live with every day of our lives. We do what must be done so others don’t have to.”

He locked eyes with her and opened himself up in the Force. He needed her to know that he was being sincere. “You killed Jacen Solo before he could hurt anyone else, and it was the _right_ thing to do. The galaxy is a better place because you did so.”

A few seconds passed with no reaction, until she smiled suddenly and feigned a sarcastic surrender worthy of Han Solo himself. “Alright, alright. I’ll go with you.”

 “Oh, and don’t worry.” Corran added, standing up. “Leia watched her whole planet get destroyed in front of her eyes and believed for years that it was her fault. Losing Jacen hurt, but she’s the strongest woman in the whole damn galaxy.”

“I’m going to tell Mirax you said that.” Mara grinned, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Or even better, Booster.”


End file.
